“This is the speech I have always wanted to give, the speech about compassion, and about community, and about giving back to a society that has been so good to me. This is the speech that is missing from the national dialogue on what kind of society we want to be. This is the speech that moves beyond the politics of the moment; it is the speech of reconciliation, the speech of redress, the speech of convergence.”
Reading that, are you curious as to what follows? Who is this person who so deeply feels an obligation to give back, to make a difference, to go beyond the personal to what society could be, should be? Yes, even what society can be if more of us act accordingly and inspire others, in turn? The promise of such conversations calls to us.
This piece could have been written this very morning, with its references to politics, to justice, to the need to come together rather than fall apart. Yet our founder, Peter Karoff – my phenomenal mentor and dear friend – wrote this 15 years ago to nudge, if not push, the conversations forward. He sketches out both his compelling vision and a roadmap for anyone wishing to move toward that destination. We have lost Peter, but we have not lost his words, his heart, and his aspirations. Peter found philanthropy to be a calling, and he lit the fire of that calling in others, myself included.
To honor him, we are pushing the conversations back to the forefront. Over his lifetime, particularly after launching The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) back in 1989, Peter wrote from the heart as well as with his insightful mind, sharing experiences, provocative ideas, and inspirational messages. We have collected his writings with a focus on lessons learned, bold ideas, and stories that illuminate giving as a personal and transformative journey. With the publication of A Generous Life: Reflections on Inspired Giving, edited by former TPI board member Melinda Marble, anyone who wishes to strive for greater impact and meaning in their giving, and in their life, now has access to Peter’s wisdom, humor, and guidance – not to mention some of his poetry.
Peter addressed nearly any topic he could think of to inspire others to see giving as he did. For those not certain how much to give, Peter assures us that it is not about money, but about time, learning, and exploration. For others, Peter turns the notion that giving is an obligation on its head, sharing how what the giver receives in sense of purpose and connection is a powerful gift. The potential to connect family, community, and seemingly disparate worlds is pulled into sharp focus, page after page.
Peter shows in this book, almost as well as he did in person, how philanthropy is transformational not only in terms of the power to create change, but the potential to transform the donor. This is what I believe makes A Generous Life a foundational text for funders and for anyone working in this field. The joy of balancing the art and science of philanthropy, of learning how to steady the forward motion of funders through what can be unsteady moments, is centered at the heart of our work.
As those of you familiar with The Philanthropic Initiative know, Peter’s legacy is lived every day by those who knew him and those with whom we work, building on a blueprint of human connection, reason, and compassion. We each hold pieces of a grander puzzle – the experiences of those on the frontlines along with the knowledge and ideas of those with other vantage points – and philanthropy can do so much to position the resources needed to bring the bigger picture to life, drawing in others to join in the work ahead.
A Generous Life has been cited by Darren Walker, for its “inside look at philanthropy from a man who helped shape it”; by Jay Hughes for “Peter’s voice as he sings out his love for his fellow humans – the essence of philanthropy”; by Angelica Berrie for its potential to inspire “a lifelong journey of becoming our best selves”; and by Sara Hamilton for “how incredibly relevant [Peter’s] writings are for society today”. Peter would be pleased, and even more so to know that the conversations he sought are being carried forward.
A Generous Life is available for purchase on shelves, online, and as an e-book. If you read it either in its entirety, or pick and choose the selections that address your own situation as a family member, a community foundation, a board member, or simply someone passionate about philanthropy, and would like to host a gathering or make it a book club pick, please contact me at lpine@tpi.org. We are honored to share Peter’s work with you.
